


The Great-Enough Bridge

by Benfrosh



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Multi, advanced tactical genius, pitfalls. pitfalls everywhere.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 16:28:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6058195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benfrosh/pseuds/Benfrosh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Daein declares war on the Laguz Alliance, Ike and his troops are diverted to deal with the new 'threat.' Set during 3-11.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Great-Enough Bridge

**Author's Note:**

> Why did I write this? Just Cause!

“Okay, Soren,” Ike asked, marching at the head of the Crimean army, “what’s our plan? I had a good idea when we were just marching on Begnion, but I have no clue what we’re doing with Daein here.”

Soren opened the book he was carrying, an atlas he borrowed from one of the Crimean cartographers. “If you’ll recall, Ike, this is the Great Bridge connecting Daein and Crimea that we’re approaching. We crossed back during the Mad King’s War when we were returning from Daein to liberate Crimea.”

“Ah, yeah. I remember that. Is it still riddled with pits?”

“I hope not. It was in terrible disrepair when we last fought here… though, with the reconstruction being so difficult…”

Ike sighed. “I’m going to fall in a pit again, aren’t I.”

“Unfortunately, yes, that seems to be the most likely situation. In addition, since Daein had the initiative here, they have almost certainly fortified their positions well. We’re certain to face their crack troops.”

Ike paused. “Hey, when you say crack troops… how many of those do they even have left?”

Soren tilted his head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, didn’t we kill most of them in the Mad King’s War? The ones that didn’t leave the army or were forced to stand down as a result of the occupation?”

“We weren’t involved in that many pitched battles, Ike. The Daein Army is a large, competent, well-trained-”

Ike snorted.

“Ike! Be serious.”

“I know, I know. I shouldn’t take them lightly. Still… if we made a large impression here, maybe we could break their morale. Dispersing the forces of Daein quickly could let us get back to marching on Begnion proper.”

“What did you have in mind?”

—

Nephenee paced around the Crimean end of the bridge. “I dunno ‘bout this plan here, Haar.”

Haar had taken to hopping off his mount and relaxing under a tree while his wyvern napped. “I don’t see any problem with it.”

“Don’t you reckon it seems kinda reckless to have Commander Ike off on his lonesome?”

Haar yawned. “He’s not on his lonesome. He’s got that mage boy too.” From a distance, the sounds of battle rang out from the middle of the bridge. Ike and Soren had mounted a charge, in fact, all on their lonesome, to shatter the fortified position and destroy the morale of the Daein troops.

“I dunno. Doesn’t feel right. We could be up there, helpin’ 'em, takin’ 'em in no time flat.”

“Hey, how about you sit down already? You’re starting to make me nervous with all that pacing around.”

Nephenee heard the sound of a collapsing floor from the distance, and Ike shouting in surprise. As she turned to look and make sure he was alright, she saw a sudden gust of wind blast the Daein soldiers near Ike off the bridge before Soren pulled him out of the pit. “… I guess. Ain’t got much better to do. Not much to guard back here.”

“Hey, you never know if Begnion might launch an ambush on our supply lines while we’re distracted fighting Daein. Constant vigilance.”

“… Haar, y'r eyes are closed. How'sat being vigilant?”

“I’m clearly preparing myself for the next battle.”

Nephenee hung her head. She wasn’t going to win. She sat down under the tree next to Haar, laying her spear next to her side.

… She didn’t want to admit it, but if you blocked out the sounds of combat across the bridge, it was rather pleasant. The sunlight was warm but not too warm, the breeze was cool and gentle, the shade from the tree was just right. It was a picturesque spot… if it weren’t for. Y'know. The war. Didn’t feel right to an experienced guardswoman like Nephenee to just goof off during duty, but there really was nothing they could do here. The rest of Ike’s troop had taken the actual rear guard, and Haar and Nephenee were on 'wyvern rider watch,’ as Ike put it. Still, even if any did show up, Nephenee couldn’t do much of anything, that was all Haar’s job. Kinda left Nephenee wondering what she was doing here…

“So, how’ve you and Heather been?” asked Haar.

Nephenee jumped. She had zoned out, so the sudden noise surprised her, but- “Whatya goin’ and askin’ a thing like that for?!”

Haar shrugged. “Just making smalltalk. We’ve never really had the chance to talk, even though this is our third war together. Figured I gotta break the ice somehow.”

… Now that she thought about it, it was true, if you counted the Crimean civil war. “Well, y-yeah, I guess, b-but,” Nephenee stuttered, “what makes ya ask about Heather?”

“She always seems to be hanging around you and doting on you while we’re at camp. Figured there must be something going on there.”

“W-well she’s like that with all the girls, really. Ain’t nothing between us… I think.”

Haar raised his eyebrow on his one good eye. “Well, if that’s how it is.”

Quickly trying to change the topic, Nephenee blurted, “W-well how about you, Haar?”

Haar paused. “… You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked. My bad.”

“You can’t just ignore the topic like that.”

“I’m afraid I have.”

With that, Haar closed his eyes again. Nephenee sighed. Haar was surprisingly difficult to talk to, for someone who seemed so simple and lazy. Nephenee decided to go back to watching the battle. This time it was Soren’s turn to have fallen in a pit, she guessed from the tuft of black hair pointing out from a hole in the bridge and the angry gusts of wind billowing from it. The Daein army sure looked like it was in sore shape, if it couldn’t hold off two soldiers… either that or Commander Ike had gotten that much stronger than the Mad King’s War. Could be both, really.

“Sorry about that, really.” Neph managed to control her jump this time. Haar hadn’t opened his eyes, but kept talking regardless. “I didn’t mean to pry if it was personal. I’m not very good at this small talk thing.”

“… It’s okay, really. Sorry ’m all sensitive about it.”

“You’re pretty good with a lance out there, you know. You could teach me a few tricks.”

“Don'tya normally use axes, Haar?”

“I can use lances too. Mostly for emergencies, but getting better at them could help me just in case we’re going up against a lot of sword fighters.”

“Maybe we can make some time then. Make ourselves a better intro than this one.”

Haar yawned. “Not now, though. Now is nap time.” Before Nephenee could respond again, Haar had begun snoring. Neph sighed. Some weird folks in Commander Ike’s army, that’s for certain. All darn skilled, though. She decided she had enough of relaxing herself, and stood up again to patrol the empty end of the bridge once more.

—

“Okay guys, let’s review how the battle went,” Soren said, uncurling a scroll he was carrying.

Nephenee looked around. It was just her, Haar, Ike, and Soren in the command tent. She coughed, putting on her formal voice, before asking, “Um, sir, what about everyone else? Shouldn’t they be here as well?”

Soren shook his head. “This is everyone who participated in the battle. Everyone else is at their own debriefings.”

Nephenee didn’t really count herself as part of any battle there, but she wasn’t going to say anything.

Soren looked at the paper. “Let’s see… Nephenee, you were on guard duty of the back of the bridge. Did anyone show up?”

Nephenee saluted. “No, sir.”

“Called it,” whispered Ike. Soren shot him a glare.

Soren returned to Nephenee with a sigh. “Well, nothing happening is better than a surprise attack we couldn’t hold off. Thank you for standing watch, Nephenee. Sorry to waste your talent there.”

“N-not a problem, sir.”

“Now, Haar, you were on wyvern watch. There were no wyverns. Thank you as well.”

Haar nodded. “No problem.” Neph wondered how he still looked like he was on the verge of falling unconscious despite sleeping most the battle.

Soren returned once again to his scroll. “I managed to take out seventeen Daein soldiers.”

Ike gave him a thumbs up. “Nice training out there.” Nephenee swore Soren blushed in response.

“… And Commander Ike took out twenty-three, including the enemy commander.”

Ike grinned. “Nothing to it.”

Soren was definitely blushing at this point, Nephenee thought, but she decided not to say anything. “Anyways, while we won the battle, we seemed to have been unable to dampen their morale. We will continue the offensive shortly. Nephenee, Haar, ensure your weapons are in order. We’ll move out in a half-mark’s time.”

Neph nodded, and left the tent with Haar. 

… Thinking about it some more, she guessed Ike and Soren were the first two of those weird folks in Ike's group, for proposing such a cockanamie strategy.

Besides that though, next time she wanted to take the offensive. Show them up a little, maybe show off to Heather a little.


End file.
